Lestelle-Bétharram, a bastide with exceptional heritage
Lestelle-Bétharram, a bastide with exceptional heritage
3,3 km - Lestelle-Bétharram
Culture and Heritage
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English
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The visited part of the caves extends over 2.8 km with an impressive drop of 80 m. The underground course of the river is 3.5 km.
The visitor enters the mountain through a natural opening: the upper part includes vast rooms rich in concretions. The chasm connects this level to that of the river. The lower part follows a natural fault, witness to the work of the water.
The visitor exits through an artificial tunnel dug from 1913 to 1924.
The Betharram Caves are located in two departments: you enter through the Pyrénées-Atlantiques and come out through the Hautes-Pyrénées.
Currently, visitors are welcomed to a large shaded car park with 500 spaces for passenger cars. A shuttle then takes them to the entrance to the caves located 2 km above.
The Betharram Caves are also a unique place. Opened to the public in 1903, they offer a great diversity which makes it an essential place. Discover the inner beauty of the mountain and discover this series of caves on foot, by boat and by little train!
After having made the visit, the small train which transports them, stops in front of a magnificent building built in 1924, one of the very first in France in reinforced concrete.
In this hall, souvenirs, minerals, fossils and postcards are offered for the visitor's appreciation.
The underground circuit ends near the parking lot for cars and coaches.
OPENING DATES AND TIMES:
from February 11 to March 24
• Monday to Thursday: tours at 2.30 p.m. and 4 p.m.
• Friday: visit at 2.30 p.m.
Groups by reservation from Monday to Friday
from March 25 to October 30
• Open 7 days a week with regular tour departures
• Open from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. (last visit at 4:30 p.m.)
July and August: continuous opening from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Duration of the visit: 1h30
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